When I realized that this article would appear on Thanksgiving Day, I decided to invite my Facebook friends to express in their own words what their pets mean to them. It’s been a rough year, in this pandemic, and I find it encouraging that our pets have helped so many of us get through it with hope.
I asked my friends, “Why are you thankful for your pets?”
Jewels Ellmes-Daly (Arizona) My boys love me every day . . . even when I’m not lovable. They snuggle with me at night and purr till I remember that everything will be okay. Dr. Dre & Easy E—stolen names from NWA, but they prefer KWA (Kitties With Attitudes). These snarky brothers were abandoned in the Phoenix desert almost five years ago. Tiny little shrimps who looked like dehydrated rats. When I went to adopt the cat I had picked out, he was saved a half hour before I got there. I was told they really didn’t even know if these guys would survive, and I wanted only one . . . so of course, I had to have them. They’ve grown into monsters and basically have ruined everything I own—and I couldn’t love them more.
Terry Hill Cunningham (West Virginia) Bailey wakes up with so much joy. He’s the only Lab I’ve ever had that would rather play than eat. He sets a good example for me every day.
Donna Wilson Wolff (Illinois) I’m thankful my very sensitive dog has given me the opportunity to become a kinder, gentler, more patient and creative training companion
Sodonnia Wolfrom (Arkansas) Oh, boy, I’ve been thinking hard about this. I’m thankful for the lessons I’ve learned from my dogs.
I’m so thankful for Nissa. She came into this world and my life on Independence Day in 2017. She taught me everything I needed to know about how service dogs should behave and what I could reasonably expect. She paved the way for me to give Arlinn and myself the life we have now. She retired just after becoming a full-time service dog because of health issues that came on, but I’ll never forget what she’s done for me.
I’m thankful for Finn, who was quick to remind me why I shouldn’t use aversives as I made my crossover journey. I have the scars to prove it, but he didn’t give up on me and I’m not giving up on him. He was the inspiration for me to cross over, and all of my animals owe that to him, as do I.
I’m thankful for Rampage, who taught me how to see the world from a small dog’s side of it. He taught me how to make a big and scary world not as scary for him and myself.
And I’m thankful for Arlinn, who bounds into everything with no hesitation and lets me live more recklessly than I ever thought I could. She taught me how to laugh off mistakes I made instead of agonizing over them.
I just love my dogs.
Jill Gibbs (Montana) I am thankful for my dogs because they force me to take them on walks. They want to do something all of the time so my whole life revolves around training and trialing/showing them because they are awesome dogs. They keep me sane (most of the time) and make my MS easier to handle. They are my life and I am theirs.
Dale Ward (North Carolina) I am thankful that Rhubarb keeps me grounded and mentally healthy/stable. She is beyond irreplaceable. Having just gone through TPLO and major dental surgery, I have felt this deeply. Losing her would be personally catastrophic. I only hope that I can return the gifts she gives me every day.
Peggy Modjeski (Kentucky) My little love has been living with severe congestive heart failure for over four years. I am so thankful for all the snuggles, the whispered secrets, the companionship, and the unconditional love. We’ve been living one day at a time. Each new day is a blessing.
Photo by Peggy Modjeski
Erica Limauro (Connecticut) Thankful for their lessons in teaching me patience.
Marcy Rauch (New York) I’m thankful for all of them in these days of isolation.
My heart is joyful when Rocky (who’ll be 15 in a few weeks) gets the crazy zooms with the youngest dog and joins in a happy three-way tugging session.
I’m amazed when I see my mom’s last remaining cat happily cuddle with the dogs. Super amazing because he never gave us the time of day till I got Annika. Now he cuddles and even plays with her. He’s 20+, she’s 2+.
And, of course, who wouldn’t give thanks for a trio of dogs that adore each other?!?
Photo by Marcy Rauch
Christina Boling (Oregon) My dog gives everything to me—selflessly.
Erika Deasy (Washington) Lola, my cat, came into my life shortly after I had quit working as a result of my physical disability. She had been thrown out into the cold and left by neighbors who had clearly abused and neglected her. I don’t even like cats, but the universe seemed not to take that into consideration when it nominated me as her rescuer. Five-plus years and a lot of trust training later, I have the furry light of my life. It took some time for me to become attached, but it really hit this year as I realized that I had become attached and quite attuned to this cat. She’s an amazing, weird, funny, bossy little creature, and I am so extremely grateful for her presence in my life as my disability has made me increasingly homebound. I have days when I’m in bed a lot and she’s always with me. I don’t know what I’d do without her and I am glad that my protective nature was far greater than my disdain for cats, because I now believe that she was meant for my life.
Amy Suggars (Ohio) My dog, KD, is my best buddy and I’m thankful she has been my companion during the pandemic. My work has been reduced due to COVID-19 so I have been spending time training her. Because of her, I’ve gotten back into the world of dog sports and become reacquainted with old friends. KD has given me something to focus on and enjoy during this stressful time. I’m very lucky to have her.
Leslie McGavin Clifton (South Carolina) Shamu gives us cause to laugh and smile every day, and for that we are grateful. His companionship is treasured by both of us. His main goal in life is to be close to his humans.
Shelly Keel (Idaho) I am incredibly thankful for having had Dakota in my life. She came as an energetic, smart, and playful puppy who stole my heart. She loved to learn and between “going to school” and “working” with me, we had incredibly fun times we could share together. She loved to travel, play with other dogs, chase critters, tease her bulldog cousin, and her most favorite thing was to meet people, all people, and charm them into petting her. Dakota had a good ear for listening when I needed to talk and she had fun trying to help me understand what she wanted or needed, too. When Dakota was three, we moved to Paradise and had so much fun living around the lakes and rivers. This is where Dakota excelled as my training assistant; she was wonderful with dogs that we would board and/or train, especially the puppies. I could have a puppy fearful of the bell string used to go out to potty and I could ask Dakota to “ring the bells” and she’d grab and shake them to no end, and the puppy would totally relax and dive right in to help her. When we evacuated for the Camp Fire, she was then 13 and she was my rock. She went with the flow, was there to talk to, and helped me chill. We lived in an RV for several months and that was okay for her, too. A new vet she loved seeing, a temporary rental house, new people, and then a new home in another state and, through all the travel, moving, and change, she was a rock. She took it all in stride and loved rolling in her new grassy yard. All of her life, Dakota was a happy, confident, friendly, social dog who pretty much just went with the flow. She enjoyed being with me and she was also comfortable being on her own if I had to go out. Dakota passed on 5/24/20, but I am forever thankful that I had her in my life for 15 years.
Photo by Shelly Keel
Ray Little (Pennsylvania) I am thankful because I have learned to be more in touch with the natural world and the present. My dogs do not worry about the future or fret about the political situation. They simply take for granted that the world they live in is what it is. They are happy and it makes me happy. They’re content and that satisfies me.
Carol Giberson (Washington) They bring structure and purpose to my daily life. Meeting their needs keeps me present and attentive in ways that I otherwise probably would not be.
Trish Ryan (New Jersey) My pets, past and present, all came into my life at a time when I needed them the most, sometimes unbeknownst to me. Whether to learn empathy, compassion, patience, forgiveness, or resiliency, all have made me a better person on so many levels. To experience the world through their eyes, hearts, and souls is to know love in a pure form. For that, I am grateful, thankful, and truly blessed. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate the tradition.
Next week, more answers to the question: “Why are you thankful for your pets?”
